Turning Noxious Weeds into Money

[Iplayfarmer]

I just took my sheep to auction today. I had six sheep and got well over twice what we have into them. That even includes some costly mistakes at the beginning.

The sheep ate the noxious weeds in the pasture. (I have some weeds on the county's bad list that I've had a heck of a time getting rid of.) They drank a little water, and they ate grass. We fed a little grain, but that was mostly for the fun factor of watching them chase the kids around after the grain was gone.

In the end I have a healthier pasture, I still have a legitimate excuse to keep a tractor around (cleaning the corral, mowing what's left after the sheep are done), and I have a little over $500 to put in the bank.

This is my first attempt at sheep, and honestly I was surprised. I had always seen sheep as dirty smelly range maggots. They were fun to have around, and I'm really pleased with the results. My wife did most of the work. Maybe that was why I had so much fun.

 

[JoeinTX]

I read the thread title.............thought "hmmmm, intriguing"...........and come to find out you've got a bunch of ratty sheep.


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Good hook, though......

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I read the thread title.............thought "hmmmm, intriguing"...........and come to find out you've got a bunch of ratty sheep.


))))))))))))))))))))))))




Good hook, though......

Had a bunch of...sheep.

 

[JoeinTX]

"Had a bunch of...sheep...."


Joshing aside they do have their place and purpose as efficient land "maintainers" if run in the proper number and pastures.



We have a couple of old pastures.....less than 5 acres apiece.....that my dad and we have always referred to as "goat pastures." Goats were run on them 40 years ago by the previous owner but to this day, and I can't place the reason exactly, they are some of the cleanest and neatest patches you could have even after having had cattle through them. There are fewer cactus, thorn-bushes, jubu, and all other odd nuisances than pastures just next door that haven't had that same pressure that goats/sheep produce.


Dad's a biologist and believes the intense grazing of those animals stunted pest growth versus the relative minor impact of cattle grazing upon pastures just across the fence. Seems to playing out about like that to me....

 

[Iplayfarmer]

"Had a bunch of...sheep...."


Joshing aside they do have their place and purpose as efficient land "maintainers" if run in the proper number and pastures.



We have a couple of old pastures.....less than 5 acres apiece.....that my dad and we have always referred to as "goat pastures." Goats were run on them 40 years ago by the previous owner but to this day, and I can't place the reason exactly, they are some of the cleanest and neatest patches you could have even after having had cattle through them. There are fewer cactus, thorn-bushes, jubu, and all other odd nuisances than pastures just next door that haven't had that same pressure that goats/sheep produce.


Dad's a biologist and believes the intense grazing of those animals stunted pest growth versus the relative minor impact of cattle grazing upon pastures just across the fence. Seems to playing out about like that to me....

Now I just need to find something that will overgraze the thistle. Everyone talks about how horses eat thistles, but the horses I had would leave a good 4 inch perimeter around every thistle in the pasture.

 

[flusher]

I just took my sheep to auction today. I had six sheep and got well over twice what we have into them. That even includes some costly mistakes at the beginning.

The sheep ate the noxious weeds in the pasture. (I have some weeds on the county's bad list that I've had a heck of a time getting rid of.) They drank a little water, and they ate grass. We fed a little grain, but that was mostly for the fun factor of watching them chase the kids around after the grain was gone.

In the end I have a healthier pasture, I still have a legitimate excuse to keep a tractor around (cleaning the corral, mowing what's left after the sheep are done), and I have a little over $500 to put in the bank.

This is my first attempt at sheep, and honestly I was surprised. I had always seen sheep as dirty smelly range maggots. They were fun to have around, and I'm really pleased with the results. My wife did most of the work. Maybe that was why I had so much fun.

Sheep work fine for keeping my neighbor's prune plum and olive orchards tidy.

There are several guys around here who rent out their goats for pasture and orchard maintenance. My neighbor had them in his 8-acre hayfield recently and they did a nice job on the stubble and left him a poo present to boot.

 

[JoeinTX]

"Now I just need to find something that will overgraze the thistle. Everyone talks about how horses eat thistles, but the horses I had would leave a good 4 inch perimeter around every thistle in the pasture...."


Can't say that I've heard that about horses, but, I do know that a goat will digest anything that isn't mineral or rock even if they do try to eat someting that isn't. Maybe reinvest some of that sheep money into a few goats and see what happens, eh? Keep 'em pinned up tight and see if they'll tear into those thistles for you.

Seriously, after my "goat pasture" analogy above I've begun to look at having a very limited number of goats about in troubled, overrun pastures as a serious consideration. I can spray to some effect and I do, granted, but it seems that the kind of intense grazing pressure that goats provide may be an even better tool in fighting pest plants. Wait and see I guess.

 

[schmism]

my neighbor who keeps a number of horses has about 5 sheep just to keep down the weeds the horses wont eat.

 

[Jimbrown]

Strange about the horses and thistle. Our would always eat every thistle before eating anything else.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Strange about the horses and thistle. Our would always eat every thistle before eating anything else.

Still got him?